How to…Investigate Cybercrime
In the early computer days with mainframes and reel to reel the Cyber Criminals used their programming skills to hack in and take money from banks and big corporations. These banks and Corporations decided it was less costly to hire the criminals instead of prosecuting them. Today, the average Lap Top has about the same capability as the old mainframes. Everyday thousands of people and businesses are victimized by cybercrimes all over the world. This is why most major municipals or counties now have cybercrime investigators.
In the mid 1990’s most computers were hooked up to the internet. In 1995, the internet opened up a wide range of crimes the criminals could take advantage of. Crimes like; theft, fraud, exploitation, crimes against children and harassment just to name a few.
For this reason Cybercrime investigation is an important part of Law Enforcement. Since 1997 Detective Slomo Koenig, Rockland County (NY) has been an expert in this field and says any good investigator can become a good computer crime detective. He goes ...
When it comes to cyber crimes we can’t put a face to the crimes being committed, it’s easier to find ways to prevent hackers from gaining access to important data than searching and putting them in handcuffs. Traditional police theories will not work for cyber crimes, so cyber police theories need to be developed.
Literature is full of many definitions of cybercrime. For example, some organizations refer to offences ranging from criminal activity against data, content, and copyright violations, others suggest the definition is broader and they include criminal activities such as fraud, child pornography, and cyberstalking (Gordon & Ford, 2006). Therefore, child sexual abuse on the internet falls under the classifications of cybercrimes across law enforcement organizations around the
Technology has opened new encounters and opportunities for the criminal justice system. There are so many new practices of criminal activity, such as computer crimes. There are different types of computer crimes that many people become victims of every day. Computer crime is any crime that involves a computer and a network. The computer may have been used in the commission of a crime, or it may be the target ("Computer Crime: Chapter 2: What Are the Crimes?", n.d.). Crimes such as data diddling, pump and dump, social engineering and spoofing are computer crimes. Even though these crimes are difficult by privacy issues, the new technology has made investigations and prosecutions well organized and effective. Though views are different on the pros and cons of specific technological changes in the criminal justice system, there is an agreement the system has changed affectedly ("Effects of Technology in Criminal Justice | eHow", n.d.).
It has been almost fifty years since the first case of computer crime was prosecuted. Since then computers have made themselves at home in the everyday lives of Americans. There have been numerous new laws created to fight against the criminals using computers to cause damage to individuals, businesses and the United States. These laws are in constant need of updates and changes because of how fast computers are evolving. In this era almost everyone carries a computer around with them, either a laptop, tablet or smartphone. Although existing laws are sufficient there will always be the need for new laws to keep up with the technological changes that occur every day. Every time a criminal commits a new crime this opens the door for a new law to be needed.
Susan W. Brenner’s Cybercrime: Criminal Threats from Cyberspace is scary, exciting, and informative all in one book. It takes you on rollercoaster from start to finish as your eyes are opened to the realities of cybercrime and cybercriminals’ capabilities as our technologies have progressed. Brenner’s book is an excellent piece for those that are not savvy about technology terminology and cybercrime.
Cybercrimes are on the rise now. People information are constantly getting hacked. Target computers were recently hacked and over a thousand people credit card information was stolen. Every day we
The 90's internet boom gave rise to new ways of writing in through access to cyberspace. What used to be printed or handwritten on physical surfaces such as paper, cardboard, or bulletin boards has changed to 0's and 1's, bits and bytes of digitized information that can be displayed thru the projections of computer screens. Moreover, the internet has made the process of publishing one's works, writing letters, or chatting with one another much easier and convenient for everyone around the globe. The internet became a universal tool, giving much freedom and flexibility to the users; it gave them opportunity to deliver their thoughts with little or no restrictions. Since it's impossible to regulate all cyber-activities, internet users are often unrestricted by the normal laws or authorities that would set boundaries around the various online transactions. More importantly, the fact that a net user can take on different identities in cyberspace brings about several ethical and social issues. These anonymous and unrestrictive characteristics of cyberspace often permite abusive users to easily involve themselves in serious cybercrimes such as cyberstalking, cyber-rape, and cyber-harassment through chatting services, emails, cyber communities, and other online communication.
A crime is an action considered to be violating the law. There are various kinds of crimes, whose determination is influenced by the current living conditions. Hence, with the implementation of new technologies, and innovations such as the Internet, crimes do not only exist in the physical world, but also in the cyber world. Thus, there are many differences and similarities between these two concepts, among which the most relevant are: the scale, the reach, perception and media effect, and the speed.
Just as traditional criminal activities, cybercrime can take many forms and occur virtually anytime and anywhere. Criminals committing cybercrime use very different methods, depending on their abilities and goals. This should not surprise anyone after all cybercrime is merely an activity "criminal" to the ingredient that adds a computer or an electronic network for its commission.
In today's society, many aspects of crime are committed on a regular basis. Civilians take advantage of people all the time using online resources such as fraudulent websites requiring credit card information to get a free monthly trial. Other examples of cyber crimes include online chat websites, full of predators, or websites needing a downloadable program that contains a hacking virus. Sadly, there are many cases of cyber crime all over the internet. The acts of cyber crimes are considered violent acts like any other.
The Internet is a connection of computers across the world through a network. Its origin dates back to the 1960s when the U.S Military used it for research, but it became more available to the public from the late 1980s. The World Wide Web was created in 1989 and browsers began appearing in the early 1990s. Over the last 24 years, the Internet has enabled people to shop, play, do research, communicate and conduct business online. It has also become cheaper and faster in performing different tasks. As much as the Internet has done immeasurable good to society, it has also dominated people’s lives and brought with it an array of cybercrimes. According to Nicholas Carr in his book The Shallows: How the Internet is Changing the Way we Think, Read and Remember (Carr, 2010). He debates on whether the Internet has done more harm than good. People use the Internet daily to exchange accurate information and constantly personal data such as credit cards, passwords and Social Security numbers are travelling through the network from one computer to another. With security measures put in place on the Internet, personal information remains confidential. But unfortunately, criminals have adapted to innovations in technology, and today, more people are increasingly becoming victims of cybercrime. The Internet has had profound effects on the public, both positive and negative. In this paper we will examine how access to personal information has led to an increase in online and offline crimes. The essay will particularly focus on ecommerce and hacking.
These types of crimes have become a matter of importance for the consumers as well the business firms because it involves large eviction of the amount in terms of money. In these types of crimes, computer and Internet are the primary factor (Spinello, 2000). A high percentage of population is using computers in the Australia, United States as well as other developed nations. These people are much more connected with the world by the use of internet. They are using the computer for fun, business, e-commerce, e-marketing, etc.; thus, it has become an essential part of life and daily routine (Wall, 2008).
Even though the internet leaves innocent people a potential victim for these crimes I think that having the internet and the advantages it brings is most certainly worth the risk. Some people may not agree as people can be robbed of their money or even killed with children as predominant targets. But what are these crimes and how can this affect me.
Computer crime or Cyber Crime is defined as any type of crime that involves or regards a computer or computer network. Cyber Crime mainly means that the computer may be used as a tool in the commission of the crime or the computer may be the main target of the criminal’s crime. The rapid growth of technology and gadgets as well as the further de...
Sullivan, Eileen. “Local Police Get Into Cybercrime Fighting Business.” Huffington Post 13 Apr. 2013 .